Wednesday, October 18, 2017

Stolpersteine in Gladbeck

A Stolperstein (from German, literally "stumbling
stone", metaphorically a "stumbling block" or a stone to
"stumble upon", plural Stolpersteine) is a cobblestone-size concrete cube bearing a brass plate inscribed
with the name and life dates of victims of Nazi extermination or persecution.

The Stolperstein art project was initiated by the German artist Gunter Demnig
in 1992, and is still ongoing. It aims at commemorating individual persons at
exactly the last place of residency—or, sometimes, work—which was freely chosen
by the person before he or she fell victim to Nazi terror, euthanasia,
eugenics, was deported to a concentration or extermination camp, or escaped
persecution by emigration or suicide.

As of 31 January 2017, over 56,000
Stolpersteine have been laid in 22 European countries, making the Stolperstein
project the world's largest decentralized memorial.

Boinero Peter Jarosch cycles around 4000 kilometers a
year in the city of Gladbeck and surroundings.

Jarosch received the town plaque,
especially because of his services to the regular care of the
"Stolpersteine" in the city area, reminding the fate of the Nazis
persecuted and murdered Gladbeckers.

About Me

Daan Kolthoff is a writer, living between the hills of Wellington, New Zealand and, when not writing, meditating or walking the hills, he is usually researching, reading about or ordering berets from around the world.